A blog launched on the 41st anniversary of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), the first pro-life organisation in the world, established on 11 January 1967. SPUC has been a leader in the educational and political battle against abortion, human embryo experimentation and euthanasia since then. I write this blog in my role as SPUC's chief executive, commenting on pro-life news, reflecting on pro-life issues and promoting SPUC's work.

Saturday, 31 March 2012

Bishop Alan Hopes, the auxiliary bishop of Westminster, led a huge peaceful prayer vigil in central London last night outside the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) clinic, one of Britain's largest abortion-providing groups.

I felt proud of Bishop Hopes as he gently raised his voice in prayer above a drum-banging, whistle-blowing, smaller group of abortion advocates who had been rallied to protest against the bishop's presence at the prayer vigil by The Guardian, a newspaper which makes no bones about its pro-abortion ideology. (In view of the Guardian's daily circulation of around a quarter of a million, it must have been disappointed with the turn-out to its pro-abortion "cause".)

Monsignor John Armitage, the vicar general of Brentwood diocese, was also there along with a number of other clergy. Looking around at the huge group of mainly young people attending the prayer vigil, he said to me "it shows you the power of episcopal leadership on abortion".

In my view, the cacaphonous, Guardian-led, pro-abortion protest in Bedford Square last night showed us three things:

that Catholics in Britain can be proud of Bishop Alan Hopes who calmly arrived at the vigil and led the prayers when the noisy group of protestors were in full cry

that we have something to learn from The Guardian newspaper - which, maybe more than we do, recognizes the power of episcopal leadership when bishops are prepared to make a compassionate stand for the right to life of unborn children

that when pro-life groups and individuals and Christian leaders join together in peaceful projects like the prayer vigil last night (under the quiet, dignified leadership of Robert Colquhoun and 40 Days for Life) we see growing visibly amongst us a renewed spirit of complete determination to end abortion in Britain.

Friday, 30 March 2012

Below is my summary of the address (full text and slides) given by Professor David Paton to SPUC's "Defending the Rights of Parents, Protecting Children" children conference in Belfast on 10 March, which I blogged about on 13 March. Many readers will know that he is professor of industrial economics at Nottingham University Business School and an expert on the issue of teenage pregnancy.

Professor Paton said:

What is the best way to reduce teenage pregnancy, abortion and sexually transmitted infections (STIs)? What does the evidence reveal?

One approach to address these questions is to compare jurisdictions that differ in their strategies yet are otherwise similar. For example, compared with England, Northern Ireland has restrictive abortion laws, lower provision of family planning services, and a stated goal to decrease the rate of teenage sexual activity. The results? Teenage pregnancy in NI (abortion plus births for U16s) is less than a third of that in England, and STIs for the same age group are also about one third. Diagnoses for gonorrhea, considered the best marker of sexual health, are strikingly lower in NI where there have been 4 diagnoses among U16s in the past 10 years compared with 160-200 each year in England.

In the last decade or so, NI has started to go the way of England, introducing better access to family planning services, sex education, and emergency birth control (EBC, the ‘morning after pill’). But a careful analysis of the data reveals that none of these appears to have had any positive effect at all. Teenage birth rates remain unchanged, and rather than improve, rates of diagnoses of STIs have steadily increased throughout the 2000s. For NI, going the way of England is very unappealing.

Besides comparing population figures from different countries, other research more specifically targeted at the efficacy of various strategies is also throwing light on what works and what doesn’t. It has been argued that ensuring teenagers have confidential access to family planning services and abortion will have a positive impact on teenage pregnancy and abortion rates. However, instead it can be demonstrated that the consequent reduction in perceived risk leads to increased risky behaviour, and combined with contraceptive failure, the net pregnancy rate could increase. This may explain what has happened in England.

Studies from the US, where some states have mandated parental involvement in contraception and/or abortion for minors, reveal a subsequent decline in abortion rates, overall conception rates and STIs. This should not be surprising given parental protective instincts. One somewhat tangential finding linked to these laws has been a decline in suicide amongst female minors.

What about mandatory early sex and relationships education (SRE), or alternatively abstinence-based education, and their impact upon teenage pregnancy? The evidence is unclear and in some cases conflicting. However, what can be said is the evidence so far suggests SRE is no better than abstinence-based education. The Netherlands has sometimes been held up as an example of low teenage pregnancy rates which have resulted from early and explicit SRE. However, The Netherlands actually has later SRE than the UK, and since the content of SRE is not mandatory by Dutch statute, it varies widely from quite conservative at one end to quite explicit at the other.

The upshot of all this is that the evidence is beginning to confirm the idea that advancing contraception, EBC, and abortion, as well as keeping parents away from their children’s decisions in this area, is having a detrimental impact on the lives and health of teenagers.

Thursday, 29 March 2012

Guardian publishes SPUC's response to its 'exposé' of SPUC's schools talkThe Guardian newspaper has published a letter by Anthony McCarthy, SPUC's education and publications manager, responding to its 'exposé' of SPUC's schools talk. Mr McCarthy wrote: "Your report on our schools talk has an air of shock at the mention of any potential risks of abortion, whether physical or psychological (Revealed: what children are being told about abortion, 24 March). Where such risks either do or may exist, it is not surprising that many will deny them and/or seek to silence those who raise them ... Supporters of abortion may not like to hear such things, but do they have a right to stop schoolchildren hearing them?" [John Smeaton, 29 March]

The Guardian newspaper has published a letter by Anthony McCarthy, SPUC's education and publications manager, responding to its 'exposé' of SPUC's schools talk. Anthony's letter is preceded unfortunately by a joint letter from Britain's leading abortionists, attempting to whitewash the abortion industry and calling for abortion to be made even more widely available. Here is the text of Anthony's letter as published in The Guardian:

Your report on our schools talk has an air of shock at the mention of any potential risks of abortion, whether physical or psychological (Revealed: what children are being told about abortion, 24 March). Where such risks either do or may exist, it is not surprising that many will deny them and/or seek to silence those who raise them. In this highly politicised area, readers would be well advised to study the evidence from both sides carefully before coming to their own conclusions. In the case of breast cancer, it is at least established that carrying a first (early) pregnancy to term protects against breast cancer, and that was the clear context of the passage quoted from the website paper we sent you (www.spuc.org.uk/documents/papers/pike20120525).

There is also some apparent shock or disapproval at our speaker's reported claim that abortion after rape might be a source of trauma, or that a child of rape might be seen as something positive coming out of the experience. Many raped women do, however, feel this way, and a recent Irish survey found that over 57% went on to parent their babies after birth. Yes, our abortion laws do make unborn children non-persons, and yes, they do allow abortion up to birth for disability. Yes, that is hard to square with respect for disabled people. Yes, women do deserve better than abortion.

Supporters of abortion may not like to hear such things, but do they have a right to stop schoolchildren hearing them?

Wednesday, 28 March 2012

Commons welcome of DPP assisted suicide policy undermines protection for vulnerable
The House of Commons’ welcome of the Director of Public Prosecutions' (DPP) policy on prosecuting assisted suicide undermines society’s protection of the most vulnerable. Last night the House of Commons passed unopposed a motion to “welcome” the DPP’s guidance, published in February 2010, as well as to encourage advances in palliative care. SPUC Pro-Life has warned that the DPP’s guidance effectively decriminalises assisted suicide by removing any realistic chance of prosecutions for assisting suicide. [SPUC, 28 March]

Department of health seeks to sanitise its abortion partners
23 March 2012: The Health Secretary has announced that abortion clinics are going to be subject to "unannounced inspections" and scrutiny by a team of regulators. SPUC warned that the health secretary’s expression of concern regarding abuses of the Abortion Act are contradicted by Department of Health and Department for International Development policies which promote abortion on demand. [SPUC, 23 March]

African mothers want healthcare not abortion, international conference hears
Mothers in Africa want maternal healthcare, not abortion, an international conference in central London has heard. The "Abortion or maternal health? What should the UK be funding in developing countries?" conference, held by SPUC, heard from an international line-up of leading experts in maternal healthcare, law and research. The conference was attended by medical professionals, bioethicists, students and religious representatives from many countries.[ RSPUC, 22 March]

Sporty mum running for the unborn this year
Veronica Price (pictured) is a 27 year old mother of 4 children who has decided to put her passion for sport at the service of unborn children. Veronica will be running in the 2012 London Marathon for SPUC and its work of defending children in the womb. Pleae follow the link to read Veronica's story, and how to donate. [SPUC]

The House of Commons’ welcome of the Director of Public Prosecutions' (DPP) policy on prosecuting assisted suicide undermines society’s protection of the most vulnerable.

Last night the House of Commons passed unopposed a motion to “welcome” the DPP’s guidance, published in February 2010, as well as to encourage advances in palliative care. SPUC Pro-Life has warned that the DPP’s guidance effectively decriminalises assisted suicide by removing any realistic chance of prosecutions for assisting suicide. The guidance was published following the successful court challenge by euthanasia supporter Debbie Purdy. SPUC Pro-Life was an official intervener before the courts in the Purdy case.

Paul Tully, SPUC Pro-Life’s general secretary, told the media:

“Listening to the debate, it was clear that MPs opposed to assisted suicide had the moral high ground. The dangers for vulnerable people were well described by new MPs like Paul Maynard and Fiona Bruce; and long-standing members like Frank Field and Dr John Pugh warned of the serious consequences to which assisted suicide leads. It belies the substance of the debate that the motion was allowed to pass without going to a division. The DPP's prosecuting policy has emptied the Suicide Act, which sets out the crime of assisting suicide, of its meaning and much of its force. The DPP's policy should be rescinded or revised to ensure the the right to life for all."

Disabled MP Paul Maynard said assisted suicide sends message that some lives (e.g. disabled) are not worth living. Legal assisted suicide for one person would diminish the value of the life of every person, he said. He also said that the true definition of compassion is being lost: it is not feeling sorry for someone but ‘fellow suffering’.

Dr John Pugh MP and David Burrowes MP argued that enshrining the DPP’s guidelines in statute would fetter the DPP, denying the discretion given to him by other statutes.

Fiona Bruce MP said that UK is a world-leader in hospice care. It prioritises care, not ending life. A palliative care specialist told Mrs Bruce that doctors are concerned that legal assisted suicide would put them in a very difficult position regarding their patients.

Fiona Bruce MP also said that disabled peer Baroness Campbell says assisted suicide won't stop with the terminally-ill but will threaten the disabled.

Solicitor-general Edward Garnier QC opposed the motion to put the DPP’s guidance on a statutory footing.

Fiona Bruce MP said that improving palliative care services is important, not least as it reduces requests for assisted suicide.

Anti-life MP Emily Thornberry claimed wrongly that Diane Pretty, the late motor neurone disease (MND) patient, suffocated to death. In fact she died peacefully. (SPUC led a group of interveners in the Pretty case, which was defeated at every stage.)

Glenda Jackson MP said that Lord Falconer's Commission on Assisted Dying was biased and funded by the assisted suicide lobby.

Dr John Pugh MP said that euthanasia is a logical conclusion of assisted suicide.

Naomi Long MP said that it is difficult to assess if a patient is terminally-ill. The proposed terminal illness 'safeguard' is therefore dubious.

Ian Paisley Jnr MP argued that the House of Commons would be foolish to put in place a law deciding when someone loses their life. He also said that assisted suicide would open a Dutch-like floodgate to euthanasia.

Frank Field MP said that euthanasia was the unspoken issue in today’s debate. He added that some relatives have vested interests in patient's death.

Mark Pawsey MP said that his family experience tells him that legalising assisted suicide would be wrong. It would be a slippery slope for our nation.

Edward Leigh MP said that we must never let old people feel they are burdens. Life must come first and we must proclaim life.

Jim Shannon MP called on Parliament to uphold the Hippocratic Oath's "First do no harm" principle and the Oath’s ban on doctor-assisted suicide.

Robert Halfon MP said that legalising assisted suicide is dangerous, and called on MPs to remember that ‘life unworthy of life’ was the basis of the Nazi euthanasia programme.

John Glen MP argued that a blanket law banning assisted suicide is the only way to protect vulnerable people.

Monday, 26 March 2012

Catholic bishops in England are increasingly giving support to pro-life acts of witness outside abortion clinics. It is a most encouraging sign.

Two weeks ago I reported on a huge pro-life witness in Stratford supported, amongst many others, by Bishop Thomas McMahon (pictured right), the Catholic bishop of Brentwood, who was represented by Monsignor John Armitage, the diocesan vicar general, who is also responsible for three parishes.

Here is Bishop McMahon's message in full which was read out by Monsignor Armitage:

Your gathering to-day has my unqualified support.

Abortion has reached a new height in this country in recent months by the fact that a number of clinics now allow abortion purely according to gender and also allowing private clinics to seek business through television and radio advertisements.

With 200,000 abortions a year we already have one of the highest rates in Europe.

I am with you in prayer and sprit and may your prophetic stance and prayerful vigil draw attention to this great evil of our time.

Then last week I reported that Bishop Alan Hopes, (pictured right) the Catholic auxiliary bishop of Westminster, is due to attend a 40 days for life vigil in central London. I urged (and I urge again) as many as possible to be present this coming Friday to support Bishop Hopes in his pro-life witness.

And I have now heard that Bishop John Hine, (below right) Catholic auxiliary bishop of Southwark is joining the vigil at Marie Stopes abortion facility, Brewer Street, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1RV, on Friday, 27th April 2012, the 44th aniversary of the Abortion Act. Bishop Hine is celebrating the 12.30 Mass at St. Francis's Church, Week Street, Maidstone. He is then joining in the vigil which begins with a prayerful and peaceful procession with an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe to the Marie Stopes Clinic and concludes with a return procession at 2.30 p.m. This event is organized by Helpers of God's Precious Infants, an international pro-life group founded by Msgr. Philip Reilly under the direction of Bishop Thomas Daley of New York. Its main apostolate is prayer vigils at abortion facilities.

Strong, compassionate, pro-life leadership, such as the leadership shown by these bishops, lays the foundation for a great campaign for life in the months and years ahead. I congratulate the pro-life groups who are winning, by their example, episcopal support. And I thank Bishop McMahon, Bishop Hopes, and Bishop Hine, for their courage in speaking out for the helpless unborn and their mothers.

Friday, 23 March 2012

In a press statement issued today by Paul Tully, SPUC's general secretary, the Society accuses the department of health of organizing a whitewash of abortion practice under the 1967 Abortion Act.

Paul Tully says that Andrew Lansley's statement that abortion clinics would be subject to "unannounced inspections" is "clearly an exercise by the department of health to sanitise its
abortion partners following scandals such as the 'wrong sex' abortions,
where the Telegraph found evidence of doctors lying about the grounds
for abortion."

Paul Tully says that the Department of Health is promoting abortion on demand - and that the department is prompting doctors to lie when certifying women for abortions.

Consider the following ... Andrew Lansley, the health Secretary, (pictured above), is today reported as saying:

"The rules in the Abortion Act are there for a reason - to ensure there are safeguards for women before an abortion can be carried out. Abortion shouldn't be undertaken lightly and the right checks and balances must be in place."

By way of contrast, the Department of Health website, on a page entitled "Abortion: where to go", responds to the question "Can I be refused an abortion" as follows:

"It's rare for anyone to be refused an abortion. A doctor may have moral objections to abortion, but if that’s the case they should refer you to another doctor who can help. It can be very difficult to get later abortions, so the earlier you seek help the better.

"By law, two doctors have to agree that you can have an abortion. Usually this is the first doctor you see and a second doctor who will perform the abortion, or one who works at the community contraceptive clinic or hospital."

Also sharply contrasting with Andrew Lansley's reported comments today is the following policy statement published by the Department of Health in January 2010:

"The decision to terminate a pregnancy rests with the woman and her doctors. If an abortion is requested by a young woman (under 16 years of age), doctors have an obligation to encourage the young woman to involve her parents or guardian, but generally they should not override the patient’s views." (Section 140, Equality Impact Assessment for National Sexual Health Policy)

Finally, the contradiction in the government position can be seen in the tragic fact that only last October, the British government renewed its commitment to a partnership programme with the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) worth over £43 million (of our money as taxpayers). Amongst IPPF's aims is to have abortion recognized as a universal human right.

How Andrew Lansley, the Secretary of State for Health, acts on these breaches of the Abortion Act by British abortion clinics will be the real test of his strong expressions of concern on this matter.

I urge UK readers to contact their MP and to ask him or her to challenge Andrew Lansley on department of health policy in these areas.

Thursday, 22 March 2012

Mothers in Africa want maternal healthcare, not abortion, an international conference in central London has heard.

The "Abortion or maternal health? What should the UK be funding in developing countries?" conference, held by SPUC on Tuesday, heard from an international line-up of experts in maternal healthcare, law and research. The conference was attended by medical professionals, bioethicists, students and religious representatives from many countries.

Prof. Robert Walley

Professor Robert Walley, a leading obstetrician and founder of MaterCare International, told the conference that: "In the countries in which I work, one in seven mothers will die due to lack of medical equipment...It is ridiculous to supply women with abortion and condoms when they need access to emergency obstetrical care...Abortion is a sin of commission, but failing to provide mothers with obstetrical care is a sin of omission", he said. "We are here to uphold women's dignity".

Professor Walley described obstetrics as the most privileged of professions. The advent of mass abortion and contraception in the 1970s led to obstetricians who wouldn't support abortion being forced out of the profession. "Because I was against abortion, I was told to change speciality or leave", said Professor Walley. "Medics must live according to their consciences, which tells them not to perform abortions. Medics are trained to save life not destroy it." Professor Walley said tha people in the developing world are getting angry at Western pro-abortion bullying. "The West has destroyed marriage and the family and is now imposing its decadence on the conservative developing world", he said.

MaterCare International's Charter of Maternal Rights secures both maternal health and the welcome gift of children. Since 2005 MaterCare International has run a cutting-edge maternal health project in Kenya, bringing healthcare and hope to rural mothers. MaterCare International also organises workshops with multi-disciplinary speakers to educate medics in ethics. The late Pope John Paul II gave direct support and inspiration to MaterCare International and Catholic obstetricians everywhere. Professor Walley added that most Catholic priests are faithful to the pro-life cause but need support.

Dr Roger Kiska

Dr Roger Kiska, from Vienna, senior legal counsel of the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), told the conference that no obligation exists on states to legalise abortion in international law. Not a single United Nations (UN) treaty mentions abortion, let alone a right to abortion. No party to an international treaty would have intended abortion when signing a treaty, he said. Also, there is no norm regarding abortion in customary international law. Any trend in national laws to allow abortion does not create any obligation to allow abortion, Dr Kiska said.

Many articles of international conventions actually protect the right to life of unborn children. For example, it is illegal under international law to execute pregnant women. A European Court of Justice judgment on patent law held that human life begins at conception, said Dr Kiska. There is an international consensus that abortion is not a freedom but something that should be reduced.

John Smeaton

However, international conventions and treaties are being re-interpreted via manipulation of officials by pro-abortion lobbyists, said Dr Kiska. Although the European Union (EU) has no competency over abortion, non-binding resolutions by the European Parliament and by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe assert that European states should allow abortion on demand.

Dr Kiska concluded his address by saying: "I'm very proud to work with SPUC" and praising SPUC's work defending the right to life in international law. John Smeaton, SPUC director, said that the Holy See is deeply appreciative of SPUC's support by way of pro-life lobbying at the United Nations (UN).

Terry Brown

Conference delegates networked over lunch and afterwards shared information on SPUC's resources, initiatives and partners. Terry Brown of the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) told the conference how the SVP works to support poor women in Sudan and globally. Being pro-life and being pro-woman automatically go together. Mr Brown asked delegates to pray for the work of both the SVP and SPUC.

Dr Obielumani Ideh, obstetrician and researcher from Nigeria, shared heartbreaking stories of the massive gap in healthcare between the UK and Africa. Women in Nigeria are forced to give birth in appalling conditions. Medical and cultural factors male Nigerian women very wary of surgery such as caesarean section delivery.

Dr Obi Ideh (2nd from left)

In Nigeria, illegal abortions are being done under the euphemism of 'post-abortion care', said Dr Ideh. Abortion groups are selling manual vacuum aspirators (MVAs) which are being used to perform illegal abortions. Massive government funding of the abortion group IPAS in Nigeria adds to a dramatic shortfall in real healthcare. Dr Ideh said that the problem of maternal mortality arises mainly because governments fail to provide the appropriate resources and infrastructure.

The international 'Safe Motherhood Initiative' soon turned into the abortion lobbying group 'Women Deliver', said Dr Ideh. Professor Walley told the conference that 'Women Deliver' have made a policy decision not to use word 'mother'. Dr Ideh said that community-based midwifery needs to be spread in the developing world, and that pro-lifers are called to share the pro-life message within their own families, schools and local communities.

Youth enjoying the conference

Fiorella Nash MA (Cantab.), a mother of three children and a researcher on maternal mortality for SPUC, said that high maternal mortality in the developing world is a scandal. Better healthcare not abortion is the solution. Access to abortion is being funded and promoted at the expense of urgent women's healthcare needs, said Mrs Nash. Sadly, even Britain's CAFOD (Catholic Agency For Overseas Development) had reacted angrily when SPUC pointed out how the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) would be used to further the abortion agenda.

Pro-abortion groups often inflate or fabricate illegal abortion figures in developing countries. Studies claiming high illegal abortion rates often lump together induced and spontaneous abortion, and confuse 'safe' with 'legal' abortion. Mrs Nash said that government and parliamentary reports are also often skewed by an obsession with promoting abortion. Also, Britain's Department for International Development (DFID) has failed to provide detailed figures on how it's bankrolling abortion overseas.

Eve Farren

There is a massive gap between poor rural women dying in huts in the developing world and the pro-abortion elite in carpeted boardrooms of world capitals. The real reason for world poverty is corrupt leaders, not a lack of birth control, concluded Mrs Nash.

There was a range of excellent questions and contributions from delegates. Eve Farren of Bristol Students for Life said there was a big rise in pro-life student activism in the UK.

Robin Haig, SPUC's chairman, concluded the conference by calling on delegates to help restore the dignity of motherhood and ensure that every childbirth is a joyful occasion.

Monday, 19 March 2012

UK government launches consultation on same-sex marriage
The British government has launched its consultation document on gay marriage (see SPUC's position paper, background paper and official policy on gay marriage). The consultation is an attempt to achieve a fait accompli on the enactment of gay marriage. The consultation document says: "[T]his consultation is about how we best remove the ban on same-sex couples having a civil marriage, not on whether this should or should not happen." John Smeaton, SPUC director, commented: "We must re-double of our resistance to the government's plans before it's too late." [John Smeaton, 15 March]

Thursday, 15 March 2012

This morning the government launched its consultation document on gay marriage (see SPUC's position paper, background paper and official policy on gay marriage. I will return in a future blog to the substantive issues in the consultation document). As expected, the consultation is an attempt to achieve a fait accompli on the enactment of gay marriage. The forward from Theresa May, the home secretary and Lynne Featherstone, the equalities minister, reads:

"[W]e are, today, launching this consultation to seek your views on how we can remove the ban on same-sex couples having a civil marriage in a way that works for everyone."

Further on, the consultation document says:

"2.8 As already made clear, this consultation is about how we best remove the ban on same-sex couples having a civil marriage, not on whether this should or should not happen. However, we are aware that there are a number of disparate views on this subject and would like to understand the views of all of those with an interest in this issue.

Question 1: Do you agree or disagree with enabling all couples, regardless of their gender to have a civil marriage ceremony?

The references to "in a way that works for everyone", "we...would like to understand" and the limit of 200 words (even less than the average limit for a letter to the editor of a newspaper) are deeply patronising.

The government has claimed that MPs will have a free vote on the legislation for gay marriage and that the legislation will not result in gay marriages in churches. However, assurances of free votes can hide the reality that MPs who vote against party policy can get penalised for it. And Yvette Cooper, shadow home secretary and possible future Labour leader, has said today that:

"[T]he government should go further than they currently plan. Churches who want to celebrate gay marriage [should have] the chance to do so."

The Labour opposition is currently neck-and-neck with the Coalition government in the opinion polls, so there is a real danger that religious gay marriages could be enacted after the next election. The likely future pattern is clear: in 2005 the Blair government enacted civil partnerships restricted to civil venues (e.g. registry offices); by 2011 its successor the Cameron-Clegg government had extended civil partnerships to religious venues (e.g. churches).

The government’s attempted fait accompli on gay marriage, its flimsy assurances of free votes and respect for religious freedom, and its patronising fake interest in opposing views reminds me of the examples below of the 'dictatorship of relativism' in recent history. We must re-double of our resistance to the government's plans before it's too late.

1804: Napoleon invites Pope Pius VII to crown him Emperor. Napoleon snatches the crown from the pope and crowns himself:

He later persecutes the Church and kidnaps Pius VII.

1924: The first Soviet constitution is enacted, declaring rights to freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion and other democratic rights:

The Soviet government then continues to murder and imprison tens of millions of Soviet citizens suspected of supporting such rights.

"[T]he Government is creating and securing the conditions for a really deep and inner religious life ... The national Government sees in both Christian denominations the most important factor for the maintenance of our society. It will observe the agreements drawn up between the Churches and the provinces; their rights will not be touched ... The national Government will allow and confirm to the Christian denominations the enjoyment of their due influence in schools and education. And it will be concerned for the sincere cooperation between Church and State ... The national Government, seeing in Christianity the unshakable foundation of the moral and ethical life of our people, attaches utmost importance to the cultivation and maintenance of the friendliest relations with the Holy See ... The rights of the churches will not be curtailed; their position in relation to the State will not be changed."

Hitler's Nazi regime then proceeds to murder, imprison, persecute and oppress millions of Christians in Germany and throughout Europe over the following 12 years.

1949 - present: The People's Republic of China continues the ancient system of allowing citizens to seek redress of grievances by petitioning:

This week and next week contains two 75th anniversaries of encyclicals by Pope Pius XI, both of which contain words which are particularly apposite to the grave situation which parents and the family must face today. Yesterday was the 75th anniversary of Mit brennender sorge ("With burning sorrow", against Nazism), in which Pius XI wrote:

"Parents who are earnest and conscious of their educative duties, have a primary right to the education of the children God has given them in the spirit of their Faith, and according to its prescriptions. Laws and measures which in school questions fail to respect this freedom of the parents go against natural law, and are immoral.
...
"We address Our special greetings to the Catholic parents. Their rights and duties as educators, conferred on them by God, are at present the stake of a campaign pregnant with consequences. The Church cannot wait to deplore the devastation of its altars, the destruction of its temples, if an education, hostile to Christ, is to profane the temple of the child's soul consecrated by baptism ... Then the violation of temples is nigh, and it will be every one's duty to sever his responsibility from the opposite camp, and free his conscience from guilty cooperation with such corruption. The more the enemies attempt to disguise their designs, the more a distrustful vigilance will be needed, in the light of bitter experience ... [D]o not forget this: none can free you from the responsibility God has placed on you over your children. None of your oppressors, who pretend to relieve you of your duties can answer for you to the eternal Judge, when he will ask: 'Where are those I confided to you?' May every one of you be able to answer: 'Of them whom thou hast given me, I have not lost any one' (John xviii. 9)."

And next Monday will be the 75th anniversary of Divini Redemptoris (against Communism), in which Pius XI wrote:

"Refusing to human life any sacred or spiritual character, such a doctrine logically makes of marriage and the family a purely artificial and civil institution, the outcome of a specific economic system. There exists no matrimonial bond of a juridico-moral nature that is not subject to the whim of the individual or of the collectivity. Naturally, therefore, the notion of an indissoluble marriage-tie is scouted ... [T]he right of education is denied to parents, for it is conceived as the exclusive prerogative of the community, in whose name and by whose mandate alone parents may exercise this right."

Reflecting on these great, prophetic words, I am painfully reminded of the unresolved scandal of the appointment of Greg Pope as deputy director of the Catholic Education Service (CES), an organ of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales. Here is but a small sample of Mr Pope's lengthy record of opposing Catholic pro-life/pro-family teaching during his time as a member of parliament. Mr Pope:

voted against a bill which would have required practitioners providing contraception or abortion services to a child under the age of 16 to inform his or her parent or guardian (14 Mar 2007)

voted against measures (popularly known as “section 28”) preventing local councils from promoting homosexuality, including the teaching in schools of “the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship” (5 Jul 2000) (10 Mar 2003) (10 Mar 2003). He also signed a parliamentary motion in the same vein (24 Mar 2004).

voted against amendments restricting adoption to heterosexual couples (20 May 2002) and married couples (4 Nov 2002). He also signed a parliamentary motion in the same vein (24 Mar 2004).

In other words, Mr Pope has voted for or otherwise publicly supported the anti-life and anti-family ideas which Pope Pius XI found and condemned in Nazism and Communism. So, will the Catholic bishops' conference of England and Wales sack Mr Pope, or do they prefer totalitarianism?

Wednesday, 14 March 2012

GMC suspends doctor filmed agreeing to abort foetus because it was baby girl
A doctor filmed agreeing to sex-selective abortion has been suspended by the General Medical Council. Dr Raj Mohan, of the Calthorpe Clinic, Birmingham, is under investigation following revelations by The Telegraph newspaper. Two other doctors involved have also been suspended pending investigations. [Mail, 12 March]

Pro-abortion leader admits: sex-selective abortion is dilemma for 'pro-choice' lobby
The leader of Britain's oldest pro-abortion group has admitted that sex-selective abortion is a dilemma for the so-called 'pro-choice' lobby. Julia Bentley, head of the Family Planning Association (FPA), wrote that she has "felt personally conflicted on the matter" and that "I don't think there are simple answers to dilemmas of this complexity and I'm not afraid to say I certainly don't have them." [Huffington Post, 12 March] Anthony Ozimic of SPUC commented: "Ms Bentley's admission proves that the pro-abortion lobby has no convincing answers to the scandal of sex-selective abortion."

UK government calls for more contraception and sex ed to reduce teen pregnancies
British government health ministers have called for more contraception and sex education in response to higher rates of teenage pregnancies in some parts of the country. In a joint statement, Sarah Teather (pictured) and Paul Burstow said: "The evidence shows that comprehensive education about relationships and sex (SRE), combined with easy access to effective contraception are the two essential ingredients for reducing teenage pregnancy. Every young person needs decent SRE and contraception advice" [Children & Young People Now, 12 March] However, research by Professor David Paton has shown that promoting sex education and contraception does not reduce teenage pregnancy.

Tuesday, 13 March 2012

On Saturday last, SPUC held a well-attended conference Defending the Rights of Parents, Protecting Children at Belfast Castle in Northern Ireland. (Pictured in front of Belfast Castle is Ryan Doherty, the son of Aaron Doherty, a member of SPUC Northern Ireland's executive committee.)

The purpose of the conference was to make the case for strengthening parents' legal rights in the matter of providing birth control drugs and devices to children under the age of consent. Professor David Paton of Nottingham University Business School spoke on this theme. I will be reporting on his talk on another occasion.

SPUC's Belfast Castle event was supported by three leading Northern Ireland politicians:

Nelson McCausland, the minister for social development in the Northern Ireland government (Democratic Unionist Party representative for North Belfast in the Northern Ireland Assembly);

Pat Ramsey, chairman of the all-party pro-life group in Stormont (Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) Memberf or Foyle in the Northern Ireland Assembly);

and Jim Wells, deputy chairman of the Stormont health committee and expected to become the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in mid-2013 (Democratic Unionist Member for for South Down in the Northern Ireland Assembly).

Jim Wells (right), who's the Father of the Northern Ireland Assembly as its longest-serving member, told the conference:

"I admire the courage SPUC had in defending in the high court Northern Ireland's legal prohibition of abortion. The action could have destroyed SPUC financially. However, if SPUC had not taken the case, our meeting today would be occurring in a very different atmosphere and environment."

Jim Wells said that SPUC was the "cavalry riding over the hill" safeguarding Northern Ireland from the Department of Health's attempt to widen the practice of abortion.
Pat Ramsey (right) also praised the work of SPUC in Northern Ireland and the work of other pro-life groups. He said:

"We believe that the right to life is the most basic principle of all and that includes the right to life of the unborn child. Every life should be protected from conception. Northern Ireland politicians not only reject the liberalization of Northern Ireland's laws against abortion, we oppose any kind of weakening of our laws. This is a matter of the first importance for our constituents."

Jim Wells, commenting on the words of his party political rival, said:

"We work very well together on this issue. We come from different places theologically. However, we come together on the fact that it's absolutely immoral to destroy the life of the unborn child".

Jim Wells added that legal protection for the unborn child should be strengthened rather than weakened.

"I'd be very worried if babies were being killed in Northern Ireland because they had Down's syndrome", he said. He told the conference that one of his three children was born with a significant physical handicap - and her life now is "bursting with opportunities".

Monday, 12 March 2012

I was delighted today to hear about a wonderful pro-life event this past weekend in Stratford, East London. At the time of this event I was in at an SPUC day conference in Belfast Castle, Northern Ireland. I will be doing separate reports on this conference and a pro-life conference in Dublin this past Sunday.

In Stratford 170-200 people gave public witnessing to the dignity of human life from conception, by praying, counselling and educating passers by outside a new BPAS abortion centre. I am informed that the group was made up mostly of local residents of Stratford, as well as 10 Catholic priests including Bishop Thomas McMahon's (the local Catholic bishop) representative, 10 religious brothers and sisters, and people coming as far as Colchester and Bournemouth. This is a great witness to the strength and commitment of the pro-life movement both locally and nationally. Plans were begun to organising a regular pro-life activity in the area. I wish them every success.

This event is the latest in long running campaign in Stratford, which has been led by SPUC.

Saturday's event was primarily organised by that wonderful pro-life group The Helper's of God's Precious Infants, but SPUC were well represented with Daniel Blackman, an SPUC researcher, playing a key organisational role in the day. Daniel has written a full report with several pictures on SPUC's new youth, Why I am Pro-Life. Here are some of the impressive photos from the day.

The group process to the Bpas abortion centre

Bearing witness and praying outside the Stratford Bpas

It is particularly encouraging to see such strong pro-life witness from the local Catholic bishop and Catholic clergy. The number of lay people in attendance is testimony to the great impact Catholic leaders can have when they take decisive in defence of unborn children. Daniel reports that:

"During the opening Mass, Monsignor John Armitage, the official representative of the local Catholic Bishop Thomas, read out a special letter of support. Bishop Thomas told the congregation that they had his full support, and lamented the tragedy of more than 200,000 abortions in the UK every year."

With leadership such as this there is still great hope for the pro-life movement in the UK.

Daniel's report concludes with some of the things that can be done now, by everyone, to help build on the momentum that the Stratford campaign has been building up for the best part of a year. I include them below and urge readers to take action to support this fantastic initiative in defence of the unborn.

Complain to One Housing CEO Mike Sweeny, who gave Bpas the lease. Ask One Housing to withdraw the lease: complaints@onehousinggroup.co.uk or send a letter to CEO Mike Sweeny at One Housing HQ Chalk Farm, London.

If you like to be involved with the East London Campaign, email me danielblackman@spuc.org.uk There is so much we can do to make an effective impact.

Saturday, 10 March 2012

Philippa Forsdike, a leading SPUC activist from Kent and formerly SPUC's vice-chairman, has kindly sent me the very positive reports below from five young people (pictured) she helped to attend last weekend's 5th International Youth Pro-Life Conference, organised by SPUC in Rotherham, South Yorkshire:

Annie Latham:

"I was extremely grateful to be offered the opportunity to be funded go to the SPUC Youth Conference in Rotherham last weekend, what an incredible experience! I have never been to any conferences of this nature before, and didn't really know what to expect, I thought it would be inspiring, but the quality of the talks and the depth which the speakers went into their subjects exceeded all my expectations.

Pro-life issues were covered from many different perspectives, some of which I found particularly unexpected and thought provoking. An example which comes to mind is the talk given by economist Professor David Paton, who clearly showed that even when any moral or religious bias is taken out of the equation, statistics show that pro-life solutions have the most effective results in reducing teenage pregnancy and abortion.

Other speakers who stood out for me included Fiorella Nash, for explaining the irony of how modern feminism can be incredibly damaging to women, and Sister Andrea Fraile, whose compassion and love I found an absolute inspiration. She gave a beautiful talk about the psychological effects of abortion. She understands and explains so clearly how a woman can feel trapped and frightened into taking an action which can effect her and damage her in so many ways. Sister Andrea helps many of these women receive healing and peace through her work at Rachel's Vineyard, she's an absolute inspiration.

Aside from the serious business of listening to all these brilliant talks, we had the opportunity to meet some of the amazing young people attending the conference, including the group from Spain who picked up the guitar at every opportunity and serenaded us with their beautiful singing, as well as their impressive salsa dancing skills!

A special mention also of the contingent from Edinburgh University, who as well as contributing with many excellent and insightful questions, entertained us with their "interpretive dance" at the SPUCs Got Talent show, involving three bath towels and some GCSE German...

Overall it was an incredible weekend, the challenge now is to go forward with this information and make a difference, in whichever way is best suited to our talents, from prayer to fund raising to public speaking. Practices such as abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research and IVF contravene the basic human rights to life and dignity. We need to go forward in this battle with love and compassion and the strength that comes from knowing that the pro-life standpoint is the perspective of truth.

Thank you to all who were involved in organising this brilliant conference and special thanks to those from our church in Hythe who made it possible for us to attend, by their generous giving of their money and their time."

Sam Forsdike:

"Having been to many SPUC Youth Conferences this one stands out both for the intelligent level of debate throughout the weekend and the inspirational feeling of being amongst so many committed and like-minded young people from around the world. I came away from the conference having armed myself with new knowledge and arguments as well as new friends that I can link up with and work together to promote the pro-life message.

The weekend was a perfect combination of being educated, engaging in stimulating debate and just hanging out with other young people to find out more about their own lives and the pro-life work and initiatives they are involved in. It was fantastic that all the speakers stayed on for meals, coffee breaks and the infamous SPUC's Got Talent so that there were opportunities beyond the lecture hall to speak with them. They were incredibly accessible and keen to answer as many questions as they could and give us advice.

Often, personally and professionally, you can feel alone standing up for the pro-life cause and so attending a conference is an important way of remembering that there are other young people who believe in the same things as you. It's like a shot in the arm that gives you the courage and motivation to keep fighting as well as the conviction that actually you can change things. Listening to the stories of other people who have defeated their student unions over pro-choice amendments or junior doctors standing up against their seniors to have their voice heard gives you the kick up the backside to do it in your own environment."

Roger Crossland:

"Thank you to Philippa Forsdike for taking me to the Youth Conference last weekend. I thoroughly enjoyed the conference, I learnt a great deal and learnt how to explain why I'm pro-life. For me the highlight of the weekend was when I asked why men don't have any legal right to any help. Thank to Sister Andrea, I now know there are people out there that can help men too."

Anthony Loader:

"I want to say a special thank you to Philippa Forsdike and her family for organising and putting up with us at the weekend, and everyone behind the scenes who helped with the organising and fundraising. The atmosphere at the conference was spell-binding and I’m so glad we had the opportunity to attend such a life changing event!

I was pleasantly surprised to find so many young people pulled together from all over the British Isles and even further in some cases! One group of talented musicians, dancers and singers had come all the way especially from Spain, showing off their talents at Saturday night’s talent show and landing themselves with the first prize. It was nice to meet people of similar ages and share serious opinions and experiences on the topic of pro-life. It created an unbreakable sense of unity and friendship between us all. “Maybe I’m not alone in this struggle after all?!”

The speakers were extremely passionate and well versed in their subjects, making it a very stimulating and enlightening experience for everyone there. The variety of different ‘walks of life’ that were evident in the personalities of the speakers really shocked me. We had religious leaders, doctors, a feminist, a journalist, an economist and a scientist; to say a few.

There was so much up for discussion that I had never even contemplated; I still can’t believe how much I’ve learnt from the conference. I went with a small exercise book, with the intention of taking a few key notes, and I managed to fill the entire book! It has opened my mind to a whole new approach to pro-life and everything it stands to protect and defend.

Thank you again to everyone involved who helped us go!! I really mean it. Without your hard work and support, the youth group leaders and I wouldn’t have been able to attend this life changing experience. Please find attached, a photo of me with the other youth leaders at the SPUC youth conference. Thank you."

Mike Forsdike:

"Worthy of a Geneva setting and the attentions of a universal media bandwagon, the National Pro-life youth conference had to make do with the drizzly comforts of a hotel on the isolated outskirts of Rotheram. Represented by a host of weary arrivals from across the UK and as far a field as Spain and the Faeroe Islands, the pro-life movement was alive and kicking from the moment of signing in. Ice breakers of plucky individuals attempting their grasp of Spanish or trying to pin point the Faeroe Islands on the map made for a relaxed environment with everyone ultimately sharing the single desire to defend the sanctity of life.

The weekend proved an education and a test for a promising generation of medical students in attendance. For every despair we faced in subject matter we gained the insightful knowledge and motivation needed to fight it's grasp on our society. The horrors of what we are fighting were interspersed by lighter, joyful moments of images of children dancing in the womb, and an abundant lack of shame on show at the 'SPUC's got talent' evening.

The most promising aspect of the weekend which was highlighted during the workshops were the intelligent and thought provoking questions posed by the youth. They are no mugs and refreshingly they will take this world to task. Much of the fact presented spoke for itself, as well as to the hearts and minds of every receptive person.

As someone once said 'society is based on the assumption that everyone is alike and no one is alive'.

The revelation from one Bristol pro-life group that their pro-choice counterparts refused even to debate was understood when confronted by the concise, logical fervor of speakers such as Fiorella Nash, Lynette Burrows and Sister Andrea, to name but a few. Such was the relish, composure and compassion that met every challenging argument of the pro choice stance by the conferences speakers, that I truly began to fear for our opponents. Cornered by Ms Burrows at one point I found myself being pressed on the topic of abortion, "Life is for living don't you think?" I stated trying to appear profound and steer the conversation back to comfortable ground. Her reply simple and succinct summed up the weekend "It's hard to know what else one would do with it".

John Smeaton

About Me

I became involved in SPUC after graduating, when I established a branch in south London in 1974. I have worked full-time for SPUC for 39 years. I became chief executive of SPUC in the UK in 1996, having been general secretary since 1978. I was elected vice-president of International Right to Life Federation in 2005. At UN conferences in Cairo, Copenhagen, Beijing, Istanbul and Rome, I helped coordinate more than 150 pro-life/pro-family groups resulting in pro-life victories in Cairo, Istanbul and Rome. I was educated at Salesian College, London, before going to Oxford where I graduated in English Language and Literature. I qualified as a teacher, becoming head of English at a secondary school. I am married to Josephine. We have a grown-up family and we live in north London.

Acknowledgement

I am grateful to SPUC's staff, supporters and advisers for their help to me in researching, writing and producing this blog.

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